- t>' 


Ziol 


^ . 


’ r No.  477. 

NATO  LEON’S  ARGUMENT 

FOR 

THE  DIVINITY  OF  CHRIST, 

AND 

THE  SCRIPTURES, 

IN  A CO.VVEUSATION  WITH  GENERAL  BERTRAND,  AT 
ST.  HELENA. 


TBANSLATED  FROM  THE  FRENCH. 


” True,  Christ  offers  to  our  faith  a series  of  mysteries, 
lie  commands  us  authoritatively  to  believe,  and  gives  no 
other  reason  than  his  awful  word,  1 am  God. 

“ True,  this  is  an  article  of  mere  faith,  and  upon  it  de- 
pend all  the  other  articles  of  the  Christian  system ; but 
the  doctrine  of  the  divinity  ,of  Christ  once  admitted,  and 
Christianity  appears  with  the  precision  and  clearness  of 
algebi-a  ; it  has  the  connectedness  and  unity  of  a science. 

’*  This  doctrine  resting  upon  the  Bible,  best  explains  the 
traditions  prevalent  in  the  world.  It  throws  light  upon 
them ; and  all  the  other  doctrines  of  Christianity  are  strictly 
connected  with  it,  as  links  of  the  same  chain.  The  nature 
of  Christ’s  existence  is  mysterious,  I admit;  but  this  mys- 
tery meets  tire  wants  of  man — reject  it,  and  the  world  is 
an  inexplicable  riddle — believe  it,  and  the  history  of  our 
race  is  satisfactorily  explained. 

“ Christianity  has  one  advantage  over  all  systems  of 
philosophy  and  all  religions  : Christians  do  not  delude 
themselves  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  things.  You  can- 
not reproach  them  with  the  subtleties  and  artifices  of  those 


o 


NAPOLCOn's  ARGfMEXT  FOR 


(342 


idealists  who  think  to  solve  profound  theological  problems 
by  their  empty  dissertations.  Fools  ! their  efforts  are  those 
of  the  Infant  who  tries  to  touch  the  sky  with  his  hand,  or 
cries  to  have  the  moon  for  his  plaything.  Christianity 
says  simply,  ‘ No  man  hath  seen  God  but  God.  God  re- 
veals what  he  is  ; his  revelation  is  a mystery  which  neither 
imagination  nor  reason  can  conceive.  But  when  God 
speaks,  man  must  believe.’  This  is  sound  common  sense. 

“ The  Gospel  possesses  a secret  virtue  of  indescribable 
efficacy,  a warmth  which  influences  the  understanding 
and  softens  the  heart ; in  meditating  upon  it,  you  feel  as 
you  do  in  contemplating  the  heavens.  The  Gospel  is 
more  than  a book ; it  is  a living  thing,  active,  powerful, 
overcoming  every  obstacle  in  its  way.  See  upon  this 
table  this  book  of  books,  (and  here  the  emperor  touched 
it  reverently ;)  I never  cease  reading  it,  and  always  with 
new  delight. 

“ Christ  never  hesitates,  never  varies  in  his  instnictions, 
and  the  least  of  his  assertions  is  stamped  with  a simplicity 
and  a depth  which  captivate  the  ignorant  and  the  learned, 
if  they  give  it  their  attention. 

“Nowhere  is  to  be  found  such  a scries  of  beautiful 
thoughts,  fine  moral  maxims,  following  one  another  like 
ranks  of  a celestial  army,  and  producing  in  the  soul  the 
same  emotion  as  is  felt  in  contemplating  the  infinite  ex- 
tent of  the  resplendent  heavens  on  a fine  summer  night. 

“ Not  only  is  our  mind  absorbed,  it  is  controlled,  and 
the  soul  can  never  go  ;istray  with  tliis  book  for  its  guide. 

“ Once  ma.ster  of  our  mind,  the  Gospel  is  a faithful 
friend,  our  father,  and  truly  our  God.  A mother  has  not 
greater  care  for  the  infant  on  her  breast.  The  soul,  capti- 
vated by  the  beauty  of  the  Gospel,  is  no  longer  its  own. 
God  occupies  it  altogether ; he  directs  its  thoughts  and 
all  its  faculties  ; it  is  hi.s. 

“ What  a proof  it  is  of  the  divinity  of  C'nrlst,  that,  with 


THE  DIVINITY  OF  CHKIST. 


3 


343) 


80  absolute  an  empire,  his  single  aim  is  the  sjiiritual  me- 
lioration of  individuals,  their  purity  of  conscience,  their 
union  to  the  truth,  their  holiness  of  soul. 

My  last  argument  is,  there  is  not  a God  in  heaven,  if  a 
mere  man  was  able  to  conceive  and  execute  successfully 
the  gigantic  design  of  making  himself  the  object  of  su- 
preme worship,  by  usurping  the  name  of  God.  Jesus 
alone  dared  to  do  this ; he  alone  said  clearly  and  unfal- 
teringly of  himself,  I am  God;  which  is  <piitc  difierent 
from  sayinff,  I am  a god,  or  there  are  gods.  History  men- 
tions no  other  individual  who  has  appropriated  to  himself 
the  title  of  God  in  the  absolute  sense.  Heathen  mytholo- 
gy nowhere  pretends  that  Jupiter  and  the  other  gods 
themselves  assumed  divinity.  It  would  have  been  on  their 
part  the  height  of  pride  and  absurdity.  They  were  dei- 
fied by  their  posterity,  the  heirs  of  the  first  despots.  As 
all  men  are  of  one  race,  Alexander  could  call  himself  the 
son  of  Jupiter.  But  Greece  laughed  at  the  silly  assump- 
tion ; and  so  in  making  gods  of  their  emperors,  the  R<)- 
mans  were  not  serious.  Mahomet  and  Confucius  merely 
gave  out  that  they  were  agents  of  the  Deity.  Numa’s 
goddess  Egeria  was  only  the  personification  of  his  reflec- 
tions in  the  solitude  of  the  woods.  The  Bralimas  of  India 
are  only  deifications  of  mental  attributes. 

“ How  then  should  a Jew,  the  particulars  of  whose  his- 
tory are  better  attested  than  that  of  any  of  his  cotempo- 
railes, — how  should  he  alone,  the  son  of  a cai'pentcr,  give 
out  all  at  once  that  he  was  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things. 
He  arrogates  to  himself  the  highest  adoration.  He  con- 
structs his  worship  with  his  own  hands,  not  with  stones 
but  with  men.  You  are  amazed  at  the  conquests  of  Alex- 
ander. But  here  is  a conqueror  who  appropriates  to  his 
own  advantage,  who  incorporates  with  himself  not  a na- 
tion but  the  human  race.  Wonderful!  the  human  soul 
with  all  its  faculties  becomes  blended  with  the  existence 
of  Christ. 


4 


napoleon’s  argument  for 


(344 


“ And  how  \ by  a prodigy  surpassing  all  other  prodigies 
he  seeks  the  love  of  men,  the  most  difficult  thing  in  the 
world  to  obtain ; he  seeks  what  a wise  man  would  fain 
have  from  a few  friends,  a father  from  his  children,  a wife 
from  her  husband,  a brother  from  a brother  ; in  a word, 
the  heart ; this  he  seeks,  this  he  absolutely  requires,  and 
he  gains  his  object.  Hence  I infer  his  divinity.  Alexan- 
der, Caesar,  Hannibal,  Louis  XIV,  with  all  their  genius, 
failed  here.  They  conquered  the  world  and  had  not  a 
friend.  I am  perhaps  the  only  person  of  my  day  who 
loves  Hannibal,  Cesar,  Alexander.  Louis  XIV,  who  shed 
so  much  lustre  upon  France  and  the  world,  had  not  a 
friend  in  all  his  kingdom,  not  even  in  his  own  family. 
True,  we  love  our  childi-en,  but  it  is  from  instinct,  from  a 
necessity  which  the  beasts  themselves  obey ; and  how 
many  children  manifest  no  proper  sense  of  our  kindness 
and  the  cares  we  bestow  on  them, — how  many  ungrateful 
children  ! Do  your  children.  General  Bertrand,  love  you  1 
you  love  them,  but  you  are  not  sure  of  being  requited. 
Neither  natural  affection  nor  your  kindness  will  ever  in- 
spire in  them  such  love  as  Christians  have  for  God.  When 
you  die  your  children  will  remember  you — doubtless 
while  spending  your  money  ; but  your  grand-children  will 
hardly  know  that  you  ever  existed.  And  yet  you  are  Ge- 
neral Bertrand ! And  we  are  here  upon  an  island,  where 
all  your  cares  and  all  your  enjoyments  are  centered  in 
your  family. 

“Christ  speaks,  and  at  once  generations  become  his  by 
stricter,  closer  ties  than  those  of  blood ; by  the  most  sa- 
cred, most  indissoluble  of  all  unions.  He  lights  up  the 
■*lame  of  a love  which  consumes  self-love,  which  prevails 
over  every  other  love. 

“In  this  wonderful  power  of  his  will  we  recognize  the 
Word  that  created  the  world. 

“ The  founders  of  other  religions  never  conceived  of  this 


345)  THE  DIVINITV  OF  CURIST.  5 

mystical  love,  which  is  the  essence  of  Christianity,  and  is 
beautifully  called  charity.  ^ 

“ Hence  it  is  that  they  have  struck  upon  a rock.  In  every 
attempt  to  eflect  this  thing,  namely,  to  make  himself  belov- 
ed, man  deeply  feels  his  own  impotence. 

“ So  that  Christ’s  greatest  miracle  undoubtedly  is  the 
reign  of  charity. 

“ He  alone  succeeded  in  lifting  the  heart  of  man  to  things 
invisible,  and  in  inducing  him  to  sacrifice  temporal  things  ; 
he  alone,  by  influencing  him  to  this  sacrifice,  has  fonned 
a bond  of  union  between  heaven  and  earth. 

“ All  who  sincerely  believe  in  him  taste  this  wonderful, 
supernatural,  exalted  love,  which  is  beyond  the  power  of 
reason,  above  the  ability  of  man ; a sacred  fire  brought 
down  to  earth  by  this  new  Prometheus,  and  of  which 
Time,  the  great  destroyer,  can  neither  exhaust  the  force 
nor  limit  the  duration.  The  more  I (Napoleon)  think  of 
this,  I admire  it  the  more.  And  it  convinces  me  absolute- 
ly of  the  divinity  of  Christ.  j 

“ I have  inspired  multitudes  with  such  affection  for  me 
that  they  would  die  for  me.  God  forbid  that  I should  com- 
pare the  soldier’s  enthusiasm  wth  Christian  charity,  which 
are  as  unlike  as  their  cause.  i 

“ But  after  all,  my  presence  was  necessary,  the  lightning 
of  my  eye,  my  voice,  a word  from  me ; then  the  sacred 
fire  was  kindled  in  their  hearts.  I do  indeed  possess  the 
secret  of  this  magical  power  which  lifts  the  soul,  but  I 
could  never  impait  it  to  any  one  ; none  of  my  generals 
ever  learnt  it  from  me  ; nor  have  I the  secret  of  perpetu- 
ating my  name  and  love  for  me  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and 
to  effect  these  things  without  physical  means. 

“ Now  that  I am  at  St.  Helena;  now  that  I am  alone, 
chained  to  this  rock,  who  fights  and  wns  empires  for  me  ? 
Where  are  any  to  share  my  misfortune  1 any  to  think  of 


NArOLEO.N’s  AUGCMENT  FOR 


(346 


G 

me  ? Who  bestirs  himself  for  me  in  E urope  1 Who  re- 
mains faithful  to  me  1 where  are  my  friends  ? Yes,  two  or 
three  of  you,  who  are  immortalized  by  this  fidelity,  ye 
share,  ye  alleviate  my  exile.” 

Here  the  emperor’s  voice  choked  with  grief. 

” Yes,  my  life  once  shone  with  all  the  brilliance  of  the 
diadem  and  the  throne,  and  yours,  Bertrand,  reflected  liiat 
brilliance,  as  the  dome  of  the  ‘ Invalids,’  gilt  by  me,  reflects 
the  rays  of  the  sun.  But  disasters  came,  the  gold  gradu- 
ally became  dim,  and  now  all  the  brightness  is  eflaced  by 
the  rain  of  misfortune  and  outrage  with  which  1 am  con- 
tinually pelted.  We  are  mere  lead  now.  General  Ber- 
trand, and  soon  I shall  be  in  my  grave. 

Such  is  the  fate  of  great  men  ! So  it  was  with  Cesar 
and  Alexander,  and  1 too  am  forgotten  ! and  the  name 
of  a conqueror  and  an  emperor  is  a college  theme ! our 
exploits  are  tasks  given  to  pupils  by  their  tutor,  who  sits 
in  judgment  upon  us,  awarding  us  censure  or  praise. 

“ How  different  the  opinions  formed  of  the  great  Louis 
XIV.  Scarcely  dead,  the  great  king  was  left  alone  in  his 
solitary  chamber  at  Versailles — neglected  by  his  courtiers 
and  perhaps  the  object  of  their  ridicule.  He  was  no  more 
their  master.  He  was  a dead  body,  in  his  coffin,  the  prey 
of  a loathsome  putrefaction. 

“ And  mark  what  is  soon  to  become  of  me — assassinat- 
ed by  the  English  oligarchy,  I die  before  my  time,  and  my 
dead  body  too  must  return  to  the  earth  to  become  food 
for  worms. 

“Such  is  soon  to  be  the  fate  of  the  great  Napoleon. 
What  a wide  abyss  between  my  deep  misery  and  the 
eternal  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  j)roclaime<l,  lov<  d, 
adored,  and  which  is  extending  over  all  the  eardi ! Is 
this  death  ] is  it  not  life  rather?  The  death  of  Chi  let  is 
the  death  of  a God.” 


347) 


TUE  DITIMTV  OF  CHRIST. 


7 


The  emperor  paused,  and  as  General  Bertrand  did  not 
answer,  the  emperor  resumed  : 

“ You  do  not  perceive  that  Jesus  Christ  is  God  ? then 
I did  mong  to  appoint  you  general !” 


The  above  is  translated  from  a French  Tract,  printed 
in  Paris,  with  the  title  “ Napoleon.”  The  narrative  is  con- 
fuTTied  by  a letter  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  G.  de  Felice,  Pro- 
fessor in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Montauban,  France, 
in  a communication  inserted  in  the  New- York  Observer 
of  April  16,  1842. 

Professor  De  Felice  states,  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rogue 
sent  Napoleon  at  St.  Helena  a copy  of  his  “ Essay  on  the 
Divine  Authority  of  the  New  Testament,”  which  eyc- 
W’itnesses  attest  that  he  read  with  interest  and  satisfaction. 
He  also  states  that  similar  witnesses  attest  that  he  read 
much  in  the  Bible,  and  spoke  of  it  with  profound  respect ; 
and  further,  that  there  was  a religious  revival  among  the 
inhabitants  of  St.  Helena,  which  extended  to  the  soldiers, 
W'ho  prayed  much  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  the 
noble  prisoner.  Professor  De  Felice  closes  his  communi- 
cation by  translating  from  a recent  French  Journal  the 
following  conversation  related  by  Count  de  Montholon, 
the  faithful  fHend  of  the  Emperor. 

” I know  men,”  said  Napoleon,  “ and  I tell  you  that 
Jesus  is  not  a man  ! 

“ The  religion  of  Christ  is  a mystery’  which  subsists  by 
its  own  force,  and  proceeds  from  a mind  which  is  not  a 
human  mind.  We  find  in  it  amai-ked  individuality,  which 
originated  a train  of  words  and  maxims  unknown  before. 
Jesus  borrowed  nothing  from  our  knowledge.  He  ex- 


8 


napoleon’s  AUGL'MENT,  &c. 


(348 


hibited  In  himself  the  perfect  example  of  his  precepts. 
Jesus  is  not  a philosopher;  for  his  proofs  are  miracles, 
and  from  the  first  his  disciples  adored  him.  In  fact,  learn- 
ing and  philosophy  are  of  no  use  for  salvation  ; and  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  reveal  the  mysteries  of  heaven  and 
the  laws  of  the  Spirit. 

“ Alexander,  Caesar,  Charlemagne  and  myself  founded 
empires ; but  upon  what  did  we  rest  the  creations  of  our 
genius  1 Upon  force.  Jesus  Christ  alone  founded  his  em- 
pire upon  love  ; and  at  this  hour  millions  of  men  would 
die  for  him. 

“ It  was  not  a day  or  a battle  which  achieved  the  tri- 
umph of  the  Christian  religion  in  the  world.  No,  it  was  a 
long  war,  a contest  for  three  centuries,  begrm  by  the 
apostles,  then  continued  by  the  flood  of  Christian  genera- 
tions. In  this  war  all  the  kings  and  potentates  of  earth 
were  on  one  side  : on  the  other  I sec  no  army  but  a mys- 
terious force,  some  men  scattered  here  and  there  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  and  who  have  no  other  rallying  point 
than  a common  faith  in  the  mysteries  of  the  cross. 

“ I die  before  my  time,  and  my  body  will  b?  given  back 
to  the  earth  to  become  food  for  worms.  Such  is  the  fate 
which  so  soon  awaits  him  who  has  been  called  the  great 
Napoleon.  What  an  abyss  between  my  deep  misery  and 
the  eternal  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  proclaimed,  loved 
and  adored,  and  which  is  extending  over  the  whole  earth  ! 
Call  you  this  dying  1 is  it  not  living  rather  ? The  death  of 
Christ  is  the  death  of  a God !” 


rtICLISIIED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY, 


